The IDF carried out a targeted assassination on Iranian intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib, the military and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Wednesday.
Khatib’s death marks one of the most significant assassinations in Iran since the early days of Operation Roaring Lion, aka Epic Fury, alongside the killing of Iran’s de facto leader, Ali Larijani, and Basij militia chief Gholamreza Soleimani on Monday night.
Khatib had been the intelligence minister since August 2021, when ultra-hardliner and former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi was elected.
When Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash, and Masoud Pezeshkian succeeded him as Iranian president, Khatib remained in his role, an unusual move since traditionally new presidents replaced top ministers with their own close associates.
Khatib was close to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and was viewed as a hardliner who could keep Pezeshkian’s more moderate positions in check.
Over the years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began to shift aspects of the authority and power of the Intelligence Ministry, causing friction and competition between the bodies.
Khatib seen as hardliner close to Khamenei checking Pezeshkian
Raisi was closer to the IRGC than former president Hassan Rouhani had been, and Khatib spent much of his career in the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC.
When Raisi moved Khatib from the IRGC to run the Intelligence Ministry, it also cemented some of the IRGC’s new intelligence powers. Khamenei wanted to keep Khatib in place partially to ensure continued IRGC dominance.
Although the IRCG was viewed by Khamenei as more loyal and ideologically committed to his causes, The Jerusalem Post has reported that the Intelligence Ministry was viewed by CIA and Mossad officials as the far more professional and competent of the two.
While IRGC intelligence officials could, at times, be promoted to their roles due to ideological loyalty, top Intelligence Ministry officials usually only achieve promotion based on outstanding spycraft.
CIA and Mossad officials have even seen the ascent of IRGC intelligence over the Intelligence Ministry as a positive development for them since they viewed the IRGC as slightly less formidable.
Pezeshkian denounces strikes on Iranian leaders, including Khatib, Larijani, defense minister, Basij leaders
Pezeshkian corroborated the IDF and Katz’s announcement of Israeli strikes killing senior Iranian leaders in a post on his official X/Twitter on Wednesday evening.
“The cowardly assassination of my dear colleagues, Esmaeil Khatib, Ali Larijani, and Aziz Nasirzadeh, along with some of their relatives and others, has left us in deep mourning,” he wrote.
He also extended condolences to the people of Iran for the “martyrdom of two cabinet members, the Shura secretary, and military and Basij commanders.”
"I am certain their path will continue more steadfastly than before," he concluded.
James Genn and Tzvi Jasper contributed to this report.